Fromage Fort

I don't see the far side of 1:00 A.M. as often as I used to, but in an earlier life I would cook late quite a bit. I liked steak seared in a cast-iron skillet with lots of whole butter and sea salt because of the ease of preparation and cleanup. Large portions of my life were fueled by ramen, and sandwiches rank high (the BLT, the Fluffernutter). And despite the carnauba-wax taste, I have an unnatural love for ice cream with Magic Shell.

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When I'm feeling fancy, I make fromage fort, a classic French way to use up choice cheese scraps. To write a recipe almost seems crazy — you can use just about any cheese pieces you have (although I avoid blues, since they dominate). Firm cheeses like cheddar in combination with triple crèmes like Camembert or Brie work well. It's a great thing to have on hand for late-night eating, whether you spread it on toasted bread, eat it with crackers, or use it as a topping for Tater Tots, which I call the double whammy.

• 1 lb cheese ends and pieces at room temperature

• 1/4 cup dry white wine

• 2 to 3 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature (the more soft cheese you use, the less butter you add)

• 1 clove garlic

• Ground black pepper to taste

> Remove any hard rinds from the cheese and place everything in a food processor. Buzz until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. (Rarely does it need salt.) If you're saving some for another night, transfer to containers, cover, and refrigerate. Eat cold or let warm up at room temperature to soften a bit. Makes 2 cups or so.

> Double whammy: Place Tater Tots in a pan and cook in a hot oven according to package directions, adding a little extra oil and shaking the pan occasionally to get them browned and crisp. When the Tots are done, spoon some fromage fort over the top and place under hot broiler until it melts and bubbles, no more than 2 minutes.

> For the lazy: Skip the broiler step and use the fromage fort as a dip for the Tots.